Archive for April 2nd, 2009

SB94, from Democrat Sen. Larry Jent, of Bozeman, would revised closed water basin permitting laws. It allows for exemptions to hydrogeological assessments for ground water appropriation permits for beneficial uses – it then goes on to define beneficial uses as “does not cause reduction in water supply” and “substantially returns all the water to the source of supply” and “causes little or no disruptions to groundwater or stream conditions.”

EXEMPT beneficial uses, and then define them with all these things that would…ah…require a hydrogeological study?

Boy, someone thinks they’re smart, don’t they?

Look – this bill was designed with yet another environmental permitting exemption for a specific industry – one that has been getting all sorts of free rides this legislative session – Coal Bed Methane.

This bill made it through the Senate. ugh. Big disappointment. But it looks like the House Natural Resources isn’t going to disappoint. At least the Dem side…..

Hopefully this nasty horrible bill is on its way to a slow death in House Natural Resources. Good. Stay strong on the side of senior water/property rights. No free passes for any one industry. No exemptions for any water appropriation permits…and this is an excellent place to start.

Wanna drill? Get your water permit just like the rest of us.

Can you imagine such an exemption? “Beneficial uses”? That don’t require anything but a statement that it’ll, essentially, all be good? Honestly – what can you do but shake your head?

Feel free to contact the Democrats in the House Natural Resources committee and let them know – we appreciate the NO votes.

HB190, the surviving bill to what we’ve lovingly referred to as dueling bridge access bills will be heard on the House floor today, early (it’s first up for debate).

This one has made it through the House after significant public comment and back and forth with the other access bill. It’s been amended, minimally, in the Senate, and is now back to the House for floor vote with those amendments.

Let’s hope, first off, that this isn’t a concerted effort by the MT GOP to keep this bill tied up in floor amendments in order to keep it from the Governor’s desk.

Rep. Peterson – ever the persistent one, isn’t he? – has two amendments proposed for HB190 the House floor vote which is Friday 8 a.m. – one amendment is petty and only attempts to confuse, but the second amendment is the offensive one – attempting – once again or more like over and over and over again – to add county commissioners in as the final arbitrators as to which bridge is available for recreational access and which aren’t. Everyone knows how that has worked out in areas where this has been a huge issue, commissioners often unwilling or unable to either battle rich landowners or cater to large-landowners over the pleas of public access advocates.

This bill is first up on floor debate Friday morning. The House floor session – in order to try and get through business and meet transmittal deadlines – begins at 8 a.m.

I know my Missoula legislators – Bill Nooney included – are going to vote NO to Peterson’s run at gutting Montana’s citizens bridge access bill. But if you are from, say, Bozeman, you might want to contact Rep. Scott Sales (the area where a lot of this bridge access stuff has been a hot topic.) See – Scott Sales is likely to support Ken Peterson’s amendment.

You can call the Session Information Desk at 406-444-4800 to leave a message for as many as five legislators. Your message will be delivered directly to the legislators. The TTY (Telephone Device for the Deaf) number is 406-444-4462. Call up to the vote – which won’t be to early, given that Peterson and his water carriers (listed above) will be debating the merits of these fool amendments.